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UMelikhizedekhi Umphristi
1 UMelikhizedekhi lo wayeyinkosi yaseSalemu lomphristi kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke. Wahlangabeza u-Abhrahama evela kwehlula amakhosi, wambusisa, 2 u-Abhrahama wamnika okwetshumi kwakho konke. Okwakuqala, ibizo elithi Melikhizedekhi litsho ukuthi “Nkosi yokulunga”; lokuthi futhi, “Nkosi yaseSalemu” kutsho ukuthi “Nkosi yokuthula.” 3 Engelayise loba unina, engelamdabuko, engelakuqala kwensuku loba ukuphela kokuphila njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu uhlezi engumphristi nini lanini.
4 Ake licabange ukuthi wayemkhulu kangakanani: Lokhokho u-Abhrahama wamnika okwetshumi kwempango! 5 Khathesi umthetho ufuna abenzalo kaLevi ababa ngabaphristi ukuba baqoqe okwetshumi ebantwini, lokhu kutsho abafowabo lanxa abafowabo beyinzalo ka-Abhrahama. 6 Umuntu lo kazange alonde umdabuko wakhe usukela kuLevi kodwa waqoqa okwetshumi ku-Abhrahama njalo wambusisa yena lowo owayelezithembiso. 7 Kakulakuthandabuza ukuthi umuntu omncinyane ubusiswa ngomkhulu. 8 Kwesinye isehlakalo, okwetshumi kuthathwa ngabantu abafayo kodwa kwesinye isehlakalo kube ngulowo okuthiwe uyaphila. 9 Umuntu angatsho lokuthi uLevi oqoqa okwetshumi, wanikela okwetshumi ngo-Abhrahama 10 ngoba lapho uMelikhizedekhi ehlangabeza u-Abhrahama uLevi wayelokhu esesemzimbeni kakhokho wakhe.
UJesu NjengoMelikhizedekhi
11 Nxa ukuphelela kwakungatholakala ngobuphristi babaLevi njalo ngempela umthetho owaphiwa abantu wasungula lobobuphristi, pho kungani kwakulokhu kudingeka ukuba omunye umphristi abuye evela emkhondweni kaMelikhizedekhi, engasiwemkhondweni ka-Aroni na? 12 Ngoba lapho kulokuguqulwa kobuphristi, kufanele kube lokuguqulwa komthetho futhi. 13 Yena lowo okutshiwo lezizinto ngaye ngowesinye isizwana njalo kakho owalesosizwana owake wakhonza e-alithareni. 14 Ngoba kusobala ukuba iNkosi yethu yadabuka koJuda njalo mayelana lalesosizwana uMosi katshongo lutho ngabaphristi. 15 Njalo lokhu esesikutshilo kucace kakhulu nxa omunye umphristi onjengoMelikhizedekhi evela, 16 omunye obe ngumphristi kungayisikho komthetho ngokosendo lwakhe kodwa ngokumayelana lamandla okuphila okungeke kuchithwe. 17 Ngoba kumenyezelwe ukuthi:
“Wena ungumphristi kuze kube nini lanini,
emkhondweni kaMelikhizedekhi.”*
18 Umthetho wakuqala ubekwe eceleni ngoba wawubuthakathaka njalo ungelasizo 19 (ngoba umthetho kawenzanga lutho olupheleleyo) ngakho kulethwa ithemba elitsha esisondela ngalo kuNkulunkulu.
20 Njalo kwakungayisikho ngaphandle kwesifungo! Abanye babangabaphristi kungekho sifungo, 21 kodwa yena waba ngumphristi ngesifungo lapho uNkulunkulu athi kuye:
“INkosi ifungile
njalo kayiyikuguqula ingqondo yayo:
‘Wena ungumphristi kuze kube nini lanini.’†”
22 Ngenxa yesifungo lesi, uJesu usebe yisiqiniselo sesivumelwano esingcono.
23 Abaphristi labo sebebanengi njengoba babevinjelwa yikufa ukuba baqhubeke besezikhundleni; 24 kodwa uJesu uphila kuze kube laphakade, ulobuphristi obuyisimakade. 25 Ngakho ulamandla okubasindisa ngokupheleleyo labo abeza kuNkulunkulu ngaye ngoba uhlezi ephilela ukubancengela.
26 Umphristi omkhulu onjalo wagcwalisa izinswelo zethu, ongongcwele, ongelasici, lohlanzekileyo, lowehlukaniswe lezoni, lophakanyiselwe ngaphezu kwamazulu. 27 Hatshi njengabanye abaphristi abakhulu, yena kadingi kunikela imihlatshelo insuku zonke, kuqala eyezono zakhe, kulandele owezono zabantu. Wabenzela umhlatshelo wezono zabo kwaba kanye kuphela lapho ezinikela. 28 Ngoba umthetho ubeka abantu ababuthakathaka ukuba ngabaphristi abakhulu kodwa isifungo eseza emva komthetho sabeka iNdodana eyenziwe yaba ngepheleleyo kuze kube nininini.
* 7:17 AmaHubo 110.4 † 7:21 AmaHubo 110.4